Dewan: Playing the outfield in Camden Yards

From SABR member John Dewan at ACTA Sports on January 12, 2012:

Do Nick Markakis and Adam Jones play worse defense when they play at home? Are there park effects at work?

Gordon Gray, a Bill James Online subscriber, pointed out a discussion going on about these questions. Both Markakis and Jones have shown much worse range at home than on the road. Using the Plus/Minus System which measures plays made compared to an average center fielder, Jones has been a pretty average center fielder on the road making a total of just 4 fewer plays than an average center fielder in four years. But for some reason, at Camden Yards he’s had trouble. He has made 20 fewer plays patrolling center field at home in the same four years.

Markakis has an even more pronounced home/road split playing right field. In his six years he is slightly above average on the road (+7 plays), but -29 at home. Here are the year-by-year numbers.